1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to stabilizer bars as used in suspensions for motor vehicles. More particularly the present invention relates to an improved stabilizer bar construction which is lighter and less expensive than previous stabilizer bars providing equivalent functionality.
2. Disclosure Information
It is well known to incorporate integrally forged, radially protruding retention rings on solid stabilizer bars as used in motor vehicle suspensions. The integral retention rings eliminate the need to install separate and costly retention collars, as well as the equipment and labor to install them. Finally, the integral retention rings do not have to be aligned by an operator or in service.
It has also been well known to utilize hollow tubular bars for stabilizer bars to provide a lightweight alternative to solid stabilizer bars. The industry norm for providing lateral retention on hollow stabilizer bars has been to use the more complex and costly retention collars. The additional cost of the retention collars has been considered by the industry to be a necessary compromise to obtain the weight benefits of a lightweight hollow stabilizer bar. The incorporation of integrally forged, radially protruding retention rings on hollow stabilizer bars has been rejected due to the likelihood that the forging process would form a stress riser, as illustrated by area A in FIG. 1, reducing the fatigue performance of the hollow stabilizer bars. This would in turn require thicker hollow stabilizer bars, diminishing the weight benefits originally sought when selecting the hollow bar over a solid bar.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide a stabilizer apparatus constructed from a hollow tubular member and incorporating an integral retention ring to provide a lightweight, cost effective alternative to the stabilizer bars currently available.